23rd August 2025
I rose early in the morning so I could get started on my first cup of coffee, and also go over my sermon notes and blog posts. Since I was the only one awake I had some quality time with Ollie. Before long Derek and the rest of the household were awake and moving. After one or two more cups it was time to get ready for services. I was up early enough to have plenty of time but I couldn’t figure out where the time had gone!
I jumped into the church bus with Dan (Mr. Ringo to many) and we headed off to pick up brethren in a couple of different spots around the city. Some of the brethren live near where we picked them up. Others have to take public transport into the city and then catch a ride the rest of the way on the bus. This saves many people on transportation costs each week and also helps keep people a little dryer when it rains.
It’s always really fantastic to catch up with brethren in Blantyre. On the Sabbath it always feels like I just left and I’ve just returned after only a short while. I always see so many familiar faces but this time there were some new faces as well. We were able to coordinate transportation so the brethren from Mayaka could join us as well. They had arrived before we returned on the bus. They came on two minibuses, each bus supposedly carrying 18 passengers each. But there were over 60 people from Mayaka who had come from services. Most of them came on those two buses. That puts the number somewhere around 30+ (including babies) on each minibus. Without knowing the final figures yet, I’d estimate the number in attendance somewhere around 130 give or take a few families. Both congregations are growing!
Dennis Chinangwa served as our song leader for the service. This was a big day for him. Junior Mpilangwe worked the sound system, making the rest of us sound good as always. Derek gave the sermonette, introducing himself and his history, and giving three important lessons he’s learned through his history as a member of the Church of God from a young age.
After Gracious had made all the announcements and introduced the children’s choir and adult choir for special music, I kept going over in my mind the order of operations for the day. I definitely misunderstood the timing of things which meant I would have to readjust certain elements of my sermon. Thankfully having a translator usually gives me time between sentences to make some adjustments along the way, although sometimes it gives me extra time to overthink statements I’ve made and those I’m about to make.
Both choirs sang beautifully. A few highlights from the children’s choir: Flora Chinangwa had to carry Dekha up onto the stage so she could hold her the entire time. It was more like a comfy nap time accompanied by beautiful music for Dekha than a performance. During the last verse one little boy who hadn’t accompanied the rest of the choir onstage had finally decided to join them. He essentially sauntered on, looked at the crowd, and then had to walk right back off again. One little boy in the front row decided he would hold his untied bootlaces as he exited the stage. His row was supposed to exit first, and the others did, but he was too busy grabbing his laces so almost everyone else left the stage before him. Surprisingly his plan worked and he didn’t trip on his laces while walking down the steps.
I spoke on the fact that all of God’s people have been called to serve on many different ways. And each individual has a responsibility as children of God to learn to serve one another and even those outside of the Church. But there are certain roles within the Church of God that are special anointed appointments. There are those individuals on the Bible who were appointed directly by God, such as Moses and his brother Aaron. But there are other roles that are selected by God’s people and anointed and appointed through the hands of God’s anointed servants. This special appointment was done when Moses had too much to do and needed help. Similarly, as the New Covenant Church of God was beginning to grow, the apostles received complaints from widows whose needs weren’t being met. The apostles realized they needed for help in serving the people so a system of selecting deacons for service was initiated.
Today was a big day for Dennis Chinangwa because, after the sermon, I called up the other elders (Gracious and Derek) and we laid hands on Dennis and ordained him as a deacon. He was quickly put to work, leading one final hymn before the closing prayer. Dennis, who serves alongside his deaconess wife Flora, serves both congregations faithfully in many ways. The ordination is a public way of recognizing him as someone who his brethren can call upon in their times of need, as well as a request for God to give him the strength, wisdom, patience, and endurance (and whatever else he will need) to continue and grow in his service to God’s people.
After services we took a group photo and then fellowshipped, drank Malawi tea, ate a snack, talked, and fellowshipped some more until it was time for everyone to head home. The overpacked minibuses were loaded up with the brethren from Mayaka, the man who came on a motorcycle made his way home, those who had their own cars loaded up and left, and the UCG bus to various parts of Blantyre was filled with happy and tired brethren after a full Sabbath day.
This time around Derek joined the bus ride, holding Dekha Ringo who almost instantly fell asleep in his arms. We made half the stops on one side of town then dropped her off back at home before finishing the route on the other side of town near the beautiful acacia tree that sits near the highway.
We got back to the house before sunset and settled in for the evening. Derek and I started our packing but stopped for an evening cup of coffee and a nap (well some of us in the house took naps…I definitely napped). We had dinner with Dan, chatted for a while, made sure we had everything settled regarding payments and projects, and then started for bed. In some of our conversations earlier on the week Derek had mentioned to Dan the fact that apple slices taste great dipped in peanut butter. His mind was blown and he will definitely try that tasty treat soon. Then we told him about bananas and peanut butter. Again mind blown. And then peanut butter and chocolate. Same reaction. On all the discussion Dan mentioned the idea of nsima and peanut butter. The idea made a lot of sense to me and I had to try it. So I ended the evening with warm nsima and peanut butter. It reminded me of a mild cornmeal porridge I had as a child which is kind of what nsima is. Porridges of all kinds taste great with peanut butter so it worked well. Carol thought maybe jam with nsima might be a better fit. I’ll wait for her to report back on that one.
Thanks for the lovely hospitality Blantyre and Mayaka! We look forward to our next visit hopefully sometime soon.
-Lewis VanAusdle
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